Daily Blogs : Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, Right Angle Weave

Mastering Right-Angle Weave with Marcia DeCoster

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:00:00 GMT


	Learn cubic right-angle weave wen you make Marcia DeCoster's Tesserae Necklace.

Right-angle weave has always been a favorite beadweaving stitch of mine, ever since I made my first project with it back when I was taking beadweaving lessons at a local bead shop. As soon as I was shown the thread path for right-angle weave, something in my brain clicked: it was at once mathematical and artistic, and I started using it for all sorts of beading projects.

I don't remember when I discovered Marcia DeCoster's work, but it was probably somewhere in the pages of Beadwork magazine. I started following her blog, and was captivated by what she did with right-angle weave.

Right-angle weave is one of the more versatile beadweaving stitches, and in Beaded Opulence, Marcia has created a volume that showcases just how intricate - and easy - beading with right-angle weave can be. Once you have mastered the thread path for right-angle weave, you can complete any (or all) of the twenty-four projects in Beaded Opulence.

While some of the designs in the book take literally minutes to make, there are others that will surely take days or weeks to complete. The projects use both flat and tubular right-angle weave with so many beautiful variations in between that you will find yourself well on your way to being fluent in this beadweaving stitch after making just a few of them. But be warned: if you start making these projects with their generous use of metallic seed beads and sparkling crystal bicones and pearls, you are probably not going to be able to stop after making just one or two.

Now, if you remember the movie Julie & Julia about author Julie Powell's attempt to cook her way through every recipe in Julia Child's classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking, you'll be interested to see what beader Cyn Bicker has been doing. Cyn's idea was to take Beaded Opulence and bead her way through every project in the book. So she started the blog Adventures in Beaded Opulence and started beading her way through all of the fabulous right-angle weave beading projects in the book!

Are you inspired yet? Get your copy of Marcia DeCoster's Beaded Opulence: Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave and see for yourself just how beautiful right-angle weave can be. Maybe you'll be inspired to bead along with Cyn Bicker and blog about your experiences in making the lovely beading projects in the book, too!

Have you ever tried to make every single project from a favorite beading book? Or have you ever opened up a beading book and wanted to make every single project in it? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell us about your favorite beading books!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

The Peyote Stitch Patterns of Carol Dean Sharpe: Inspiration is Everywhere

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:33:00 GMT

A note from Jennifer: There are two kinds of beading pattern designers in this world: those who can create gorgeous flat peyote patterns and those who can't. Carol Dean Sharpe, owner of Sand Fibers, is definitely one of those who can. Carole's flat peyote stitch cuff bracelet patterns and finished bracelets have been purchased by bead artists like Marcia DeCoster and Diane Fitzgerald, and her collaborations with artists like Lisa Peters Art and Kristie Roeder of Artisan Clay are stunning in their simplicity and their beauty. Carol's amazing peyote stitch cuff bracelet designs range from fanciful depictions of restroom signs and Scotty dogs to bold abstract graphics and cuff bracelets that use cylinder beads and triangle beads to achieve amazing textures. Read on to see what Carol has to say about her design process, how she got her start in her wildly successful Etsy shop, and why she loves what she does.

In The Beginning: Seven years ago, I was a quilter. A quilter who thought including beads on her smaller art quilts would be a cool idea. At the same time I was toying with that thought, a friend of mine told me about a woman who gave private beading classes. We scheduled a class for ourselves and another friend, and so my first experience with beads was stringing a bracelet using jewelry wire, large glass beads, a metal clasp, and - yes! - crimp beads.

My first beads were gemstone chips, pearls, and a few seed beads to use as spacers. I did a lot of stringing. Because my favorite necklaces had always been multi strands of seed beads, I purchased a box filled with hanks of Czech 11^o seed beads from a vendor on eBay. I remember making a bowl of bead soup from all the different purples in that box and stringing (with needle and quilting thread) thousands of those beads onto precut strands.

My first square stitch cuff with hematite chip clasp

What I don't remember is what happened to all those strands, except that they never made it into a finished necklace - I had created my first beading UFO. (Un-Finished Object.) I do know that all the colors and finishes in that box mesmerized me and captured my heart. In researching seed beads online, I found out about off-loom beadweaving. My first beadwoven piece was a narrow square stitch bracelet in bronze metallic seed beads. My clasp consisted of a large hematite "chip" and a beaded loop. How very pleased I was with the results!

The first peyote stitch rope

I was back in my comfort zone using needle, thread and small little bits of color. My next project was a tubular peyote rope in a mix of crystal seeds lined in yellow and coral. (That was also the last peyote rope I made until I took a class with Diane Fitzgerald in 2010.) It was a continuous rope, no clasp required. But it needed something extra, a focal. For that "something extra", I learned flat peyote. I made a rectangle of the yellow and coral mix with a few grey stripes as highlights and "zipped" that up so that I had a slider on the rope. (I ended up cutting that slider off and embellishing the rope with the grey beads instead.)

Everything I know about beadweaving was learned from books and the internet, until I took my first beadweaving class, in right angle weave, from Marcia DeCoster in June 2010.

From Sliders to Cuff Bracelets: That slider was my first flat peyote. Impressed with how much faster peyote worked up than square stitch, I started making simple one-color or bead soup bracelets. A friend's 50^th birthday and her love of dragonflies presented me with my first experience reading a peyote graph (a free pattern from the internet...sadly I don't recall the designer).

Carol's ability to graph elegant curves comes through in her Fiddle Dee Dee peyote stitch pattern package

Carol's bold interpretation of the classic houndstooth pattern made into a peyote stitch cuff bracelet

After decades of working from charted cross stitch designs, I thought that following a beading graph would be easy and fun. I must have beaded and unbeaded that first inch of the design five or six times before I finally got the hang of reading the graph from left to right and then from right to left while beading only from right to left. And I did not enjoy the process, but I did love the result of working with cylinder beads for the first time.

After that, I was determined to stick with easy "patterns" for which I did not need a chart, patterns for which the cylinder beads still seemed to work best: triangles, diagonals, stripes. You can get some fun designs using only those. Just let the colors do most of the work for you.

The first cuff I actually charted was a square stitch piece. I created a graphic in PaintShop and then used the counted cross stitch design software I had to translate that graphic into a "pixilated" pattern. Eventually, I purchased software that would let me create the offset graphs for peyote. My designs focused on simple geometric shapes, triangles, circles, often drawing inspiration from textiles.

I don't have a set design process for my peyote stitch patterns. Sometimes I'll see something (a pillow on my favorite soap opera, for instance) that sends me straight to the computer and my software to see if I can achieve a similar result (in the case of that pillow, my Interlock cuff was the result). A wonderful braided chainmaille cuff inspired me to create my Braided Metals design.

At other times, I open either my graphic or beading software and start playing with shapes and/or lines. Sometimes from scratch, sometimes from an old pattern. And since the design process can start with an old design, I guess it doesn't ever really end.

The most difficult part of designing is knowing when a design is or is not ready to be brought into beaded life. Some designs are not meant to be. Recognizing a bomb before I put time and money into beading it, that's hard. I can spend hours fiddling with a pattern only to file it away in the hopes that I can do something better with it at a later date. Sometimes I can; sometimes I can't.

On the other hand, there is nothing quite as satisfying, as exhilarating as having an idea for something and having that idea not only work but work better than I could have hoped for. And then there's the thrill of having other beaders want to bead my designs. That's indescribable!

Inspiration is Everywhere: Ideas come from absolutely everywhere! The world is filled with patterns, with amazing color palettes. Bargello needlepoint inspired my multiple drop peyote patterns that mimic some of the motifs found in those textiles. Houndstooth fabric just screamed to be interpreted in peyote. The corrugated tin roof on our first home inspired the texture of my Corrugated line of cuffs. What if? Could I? How would I? Why not? Those are the questions that guide my design process.

If Time and Money Were No Object, I Would... I would love to learn to work with polymer and precious metal clay, but that would require a greater investment in time, focus, materials, and tools than I can afford. What I already have the materials and tools (and multiple instructions in both book and video format) for is bead crochet. I'm comfortable with beads. I have been crocheting since I was a young girl. One would think that combining the two would be easy for me. Not so. I've tried and failed miserably enough times to have turned bead crochet into a huge beading nemesis, if only in my mind. I will face and master it, one of these days, months, or years.

But I'll Always Come Back to Beadweaving: Beadweaving is home; it is safe. I find comfort and meditation in the actual process of beading, the zen of beadweaving. At the same time, beadweaving provides me with adventure and excitement in the design process. And, over the last few years, beadweaving has also introduced me to an amazing community of beaders via the internet. I have met people who will be my friends for life.

If you want to see more of Carol's lovely peyote stitch designs, you can check out her Etsy shop, Sand Fibers. Carol also blogs about her patterns, her life in New Mexico and her adventures as part of the Artisan Clay Design Team. You can also read about Carol's idea to raise money for Beads of Courage through The Best Little Bead Box.

What's Your Favorite Bead-weaving Stitch?

Jennifer VanBenschoten — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:57:00 GMT

Hello Beading Daily Community!

Some of you might already know me —I'm Jennifer VanBenschoten, and I've been a contributor to Beadwork magazine for a few years now. I'm incredibly excited to introduce myself to you now as the new online editor for Beading Daily!

Bead-weaving (beadweaving) has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Back when I was in high school, I started out with one of those little "Indian" bead looms, making bracelets and headbands and rings using seed beads. Even at the age of fifteen, I was totally entranced by those wonderful little pieces of glass with their shiny colors and the way they just seemed to magically work themselves into jewelry with just a little thread and a needle.

And speaking of bead-weaving stitches we asked what your favorites are, and you answered! Peyote stitch was the most popular reply, followed by right-angle weave and herringbone. Personally, I love all of these bead-weaving stitches for different reasons . . .

Antique Inspirations Randy Drobny		Peyote Stitch What's not to love about peyote stitch? Well, when I was just a baby beader way back when, peyote stitch was the most difficult bead-weaving stitch for me to learn. I had mastered brick stitch, right angle weave, herringbone stitch and square stitch and had even made some cool spiral ropes—but peyote stitch? Forget about it. Luckily, I found a class nearby and quickly mastered peyote stitch, which only fanned my budding beading fire! Lately, I've found myself working in all of peyote's wonderful variations—even count, odd count, two and three drop, and free form, and peyote stitch is by far my favorite stitch for making beaded bezels.

Lavender Lattice Hortense E . Thompson		Right-angle Weave I was surprised to see right-angle weave up there as a favorite stitch because of its, um, reputation. You know what I'm talking about. Right-angle weave is a really intimidating bead-weaving stitch for some beaders. (That's how I felt about peyote stitch!) But with a little practice, you can discover how much fun it really is. Right-angle weave is my go-to stitch because of the way it creates a piece of beaded fabric that feels just like regular fabric. You can drape it, stitch it together or wrap it around a form. And if you like to embellish your bead-work, right-angle weave gives you the perfect base for adding crystals, pearls or whatever bling your heart desires!

Ode on a Grecian Urn Jennifer VanBenchoten		Herringbone Stitch Also called Ndebele (EN-duh-belly) after the African tribe that developed this stitch, herringbone stitch is steeped in history, culture, and tradition. And it's just fun. It's a pretty stitch—it makes beautiful tiny beaded flowers (something that I love as a way to get through the long, cold Adirondack winters), and with a few twists, it makes flowing beaded ropes. My favorite way to use herringbone stitch is to use a range of sizes of seed beads, turning a piece of flat herringbone stitch into a graceful curve.

Want to Learn More?

The possibilities of these stitches are really only limited by your imagination! You can learn these stitches, and much more in the new special issue Favorite Beading Stitches from Beadwork magazine. Get forty-one favorite beading projects plus learn variations and techniques for your favorite beading stitches, including peyote stitch, right-angle weave and herringbone stitch.

What's your favorite bead-weaving stitch? Tell us below!

Bead Happy!

6 Free Bead-weaving Patterns: Herringbone Stitch and Right-Angle Weave

Kristal Wick — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:40:00 GMT

Kristal Wick
is the editor of
Beading Daily

If you love beads (and who doesn't?), then today is your lucky day! We're happy to present six beautiful bead-weaving projects for you FREE, my beady peeps! The three herringbone-stitch projects have four or more different stitches in each piece. What a great way to explore a variety of stitches in a single project.

		Wild Ruffle by Tina Koyama This bracelet was inspired by a variation of the Zulu-spearhead peyote stitch that Tina learned from a class taught by Val Thorson. Unlike most herringbone bracelets, it is worked lengthwise instead of widthwise, which creates the spiky fringe on the edges that is characteristic of the Zulu-spearhead design.

		Café Society Bracelet by Cary Bruner This jewel of a bracelet was created by chance. Cary originally wanted to do something with seed beads and crystals in peyote, but instead ended up using brick and herringbone stitches with wonderful results.

		Plum Blossom by Lisa Kan Inspired by the beautiful plum-blossom trees that line the front of Lisa's home, this opera-length necklace exudes a modern-day flapper feel.

		Silver Comet by Leslie Rogalski These dramatic earrings are actually just 90° turns of basic flat right-angle weave; they hang askew on the ear wire like zigzags of the night sky!

		Triple Quatrefoil by Tina Koyama When Tina chose to work with this pretty pattern, she immediately saw right-angle-weave stitches. The quatrefoil shape can be seen in the bracelet base, in the three-dimensional embellishments, and even in the clasp attachment (thus, the project name).

Egyptian Cuff by Shelley Nybakke

This metal-bead cuff has just the right amount of crystal sparkle, worthy of an Egyptian princess. Worked in segments, the multilayer right-angle-weave rectangles are first woven, then connected with loops of beads.

Good luck deciding which beauty to start with! I know I'm having a tough time myself. No matter which one floats your beadweaving boat, have fun!

Don’t hesitate to forward this e-mail to your bead-loving friends. Everyone who wants to beadweave with herringbone and right-angle weave will be thrilled with this FREE bead-mania eBook! Claim your free eBook today!

Come bead with me!

Creatively,

How to Become a Stitch Pro

Jean Campbell — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:00:00 GMT

New for Beadwork in 2010

I get a kick out of seeing the reaction on some people’s faces when I tell them what I do for a living. “I design, teach, and write about beading.” Yep, it’s an unusual job, all right. It came about from my inborn curiosity about how things can be constructed by tiny elements. Over the years, it’s been a delightful challenge to delve ever deeper into the medium, learning through texts, other beaders, vendors, and antique beadwork, so that I can share my discoveries with people like you. One new way I get to do this is through a new column in Beadwork magazine called “Stitch Pro." In each column I’ll show new beaders how to do a basic off-loom technique, then pizzazz it up a little for those fellow experts out there, in hopes of being a catalyst for experimentation.

Want to become a Stitch Pro, too?
Most people new to beading don’t realize that there are stitches beyond peyote and brick, and that even within those two stitches there are dozens of variations to learn. Here’s a quick checklist of the most popular beadweaving techniques. Why not use it as a syllabus as you become a Stitch Pro, too? Track down each technique, try it, then master it. You can get expert instruction, free beadweaving patterns, and additional ideas on bead stitching six times a year with Beadwork magazine.

Technique	Variations	Tried it	Mastered it
Peyote stitch	Even-count peyote stitch
	Odd-count peyote stitch
	Circular peyote stitch
	Tubular peyote stitch
	Sculptural peyote stitch
Brick stitch	Flat brick stitch
	Circular brick stitch
	Tubular brick stitch
	Sculptural brick stitch
Right-angle weave	Flat right-angle weave
	Circular right-angle weave
	Sculptural right-angle weave
	Dimensional right-angle weave
Square stitch	Flat square stitch
	Circular square stitch
	Tubular square stitch
	Sculptural square stitch
Herringbone stitch	Flat herringbone stitch
	Circular herringbone stitch
	Tubular herringbone stitch
	Sculptural herringbone stitch
Ladder stitch	Single ladder stitch
Ladder stitch	Stacked ladder stitch
Triangle weave	Flat triangle weave
Netting	Flat netting
	Circular netting
	Tubular netting
Spirals	Simple spiral
	Dutch spiral
	Russian spiral
Fringe	Simple fringe
	Branch fringe
	Looped fringe
	Twisted fringe
	Netted fringe

How many of these stitches do you have checked off your list right now? Which ones aren’t on the list, but you’ve got them mastered? Check out Stitch Pro in each issue of Beadwork magazine to start and master all the stitches on your list.

Top Beading Daily Projects from 2009

Leslie Rogalski — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:40:00 GMT

Beading Daily Readers' Favorite e-Projects from 2009 This is my first post for 2010, so Happy New Year! Before the holidays I buzzed around the forums chatting with you about what projects you like on Beading Daily. It became clear there were leaders of the pack in favorite technique and materials. I’m still fairly new as your editor, so this was a delightful introduction for me, at least to those of you on the forums. I learned that not every Beading Daily member calls themselves a beader, that we are men as well as women, teen to senior, and that we live all over the world, from the Americas to New Zealand. What we all have in common is our desire to be creative and not only learn to be better ourselves but to help others grow, too. Whether we call ourselves a beader or otherwise, we enjoy being online friends through Beading Daily. Jewelry makers of the world, unite! Better still, jewelry makers–unite the world! That's our Beading Daily call to action for 2010. Here are the three most popular designs in each of our major jewelry-making categories on Beading Daily: stringing, beadweaving, and wirework.

Mixed media leads the trend in stringing A common interest in using new materials in stringing designs was and continues to be reflected in which projects you liked best online. You made these the top downloads of all our stringing projects this past year. It’s clear that youthful, mixed-media styles and components continue to be hot. One thing is for sure: however you put your jewelry together, you all love using beads somewhere in your designs!


Brass Filigree Snowflake by Jess Italia-Lincoln	Chirp Chirp by Danielle Fox	October Shore by Cynthia Thornton

We itch to stitch! Seed beads and beadweaving hold us in their power and we love being captivated! Peyote and right angle weave were our favorite beadweaving techniques in e-Books, but individual techniques with high popularity ratings included brick stitch and caddis weave.

Crystal Radiance by Tina Koyama	Caddis Weave Bracelet by Anne Fletcher	Two-drop Peyote Beaded Beads by Dustin Wedekind

Our wire desires We loved wire spirals, coils, and anything wrapped this year. I do have to point out that no matter which project you loved best, almost every wire project incorporated beads, especially artisan-made beads or crystals. Watch for more wire and bead designs to be a strong trend in 2010.

Coiled Gem Drops by Janice Berkebile	Caramel Swirl by Cindy Wimmer	Raindrop Earrings by Jenna Kolyar-Cooper


Look to us for top trends in 2010 All our projects reflect how our magazines, books, videos, and designers are ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping up with the latest materials, styles, and trends. Be sure to browse the Interweave Store regularly so you can keep up, too. And to help Beading Daily bring jewelry-makers closer together, comment below on the trends in materials and hottest jewelry styles showing up in your corner of the world. Again, Happy New Year!

Free eBook of Beaded Necklace Patterns

Leslie Rogalski — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:00 GMT

Practice, practice, practice... with 5 free necklace patterns!

I recently chatted on the Beading Daily forums about whether we consider ourselves beginner, intermediate or advanced. Many people think being advanced means you get it perfect the first time, every time, but I beg to differ. No matter how many times I work in any technique, there are times when I can’t get it right the first time... or even the second time. Suddenly I forget a step, or I'm all thumbs. It’s usually a small thing–the way I complete a stitched row, a turn of the pliers… whatever it is, it’s enough to make me slap my forehead and say “D’oh!” I consider myself a bit of a pro in many techniques, and still have those d'oh moments!

So, like concert musicians who practice arpeggios in different keys and tempos, we jewelry makers can hone our skills by making designs in different mediums and techniques. Our Beading Daily eBook, 5 Free Beaded Necklace Patterns, has a wonderful selection and variety of techniques for you to "practice." And, though practicing our craft won't get us to Carnegie Hall, our finished jewelry sure lasts a lot longer than the sounds of a concerto!

Here's how to limber up:

Perfect your crimping and have some fun in a design with many sizes of beads in my clasp-free Big Island necklace.	Refine your use of jump rings to make chain maille, and attach a cool cord with wireworking in the Parallel Chain necklace by Barbara Hance.
Become more adept at right angle weave and string a beaded cord for your pendant in the Shining Example necklace by Marcella Austenfeld.	Work with a fast and simple design in wire, chain and beaded dangles in the Heart of Glass necklace by Terry Rhoades.

Enhance the style of a strung design by using multi-strand techniques,
seed bead fringes, and asymmetrical detail in
Dragonfly's Garden by Julia Watt.

Just click here to download your
Beading Daily eBook, 5 Free Beaded Necklace Patterns!

We love hearing from you! Be sure to chime in on the Beading Daily forums or comment below.

New Right-Angle Weave eBook: 5 Free Projects

Michelle Mach — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:33:00 GMT

One of the fascinating things about beading is that just by changing the beads you can make a project look completely different. Take the Triple Quatrefoil by Tina Koyama, one of the featured projects in our latest free ebook, Right Angle Weave: Beading Daily Presents 5 Free Beadweaving Patterns. In her original version, Tina used a base of 4mm fire-polished rounds with size 10, 11, and 13 Czech charlottes for the edging and embellishment. I loved her fun, summery version, but I didn't have any beads like that in my stash and I didn't want to wait until I had time to shop. ...(read more)

How to Bezel Cabochons and Answers to Other Reader Questions

Michelle Mach — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:11:00 GMT

Beading Daily readers are full of questions! I was reminded of this when editor Michelle Mach sent me dozens of your questions this month, ranging anywhere from “How do I hang an 18mm heart pendant? Jump rings don’t seem to work.” (use a pinch or prong bail instead) to “How do I remove a crimp cover without ruining the crimp?” (very carefully, with sharp, pointed wire cutters . . . and yes, you will ruin the cover). There were also comments, including one cajoling me into training for an Iron Man after all!...(read more)

Fluent in Beads: An Interview with Carol Huber Cypher

MichelleM — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:00:00 GMT

This is my first official post on the road. I'm at BeadFest Philadelphia this weekend, so if you're at the show, please stop by the Interweave booth and say hello!

I first met Carol Huber Cypher at Bead Expo in April, when she stopped by the Beading Daily booth. I don't know if it was exhaustion from the show or what, but instead of saying how much I loved her designs in her then new book, Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads, I blurted out, "You look just like your author photo!" Luckily, Carol was very forgiving of my momentary lapse into dorkiness and agreed to talk a little bit about her beading background and her new book, Mastering Beadwork.

Carol in her studio

Michelle: How long have you been working with seed beads? How did you get started?

Carol: My earliest beading memories are projects taught to me in a summer recreation program while in elementary school. All the women in my gene pool have an affinity for artful, handcrafted personal adornments (as opposed to mass produced commercial pieces), so I figure it is in my DNA. How lucky that my creative urges result in jewelry. I've been seed beading seriously for at least 27 years; 2-14 hours a day, nearly every day, for these past 9 or 10 years; 6 years professionally. Putting the colorful little units together one-at-a-time is completely exciting.

Michelle: What prompted you to write Mastering Beadwork?

Carol: Beadwork is my work, my play, my livelihood and, well, my life. There is nothing ordinary or ho-hum about another day of beading. Each and every time I assemble the beads for a new piece I am nearly distracted by the beauty of each tiny bead. Time stops while I am immersed in putting them together into a composition. The nuances of color that vary with the bead combinations can be intoxicating. Add to that the myriad of shapes and form that can be achieved. I feel deeply rooted in beadwork and firmly grounded in the timeless tradition of beadworkers across the centuries and around the globe. I can HEAR the beads. I have acquired a facility with them that I can best describe as being fluent in beads.

Sharing this gives me meaning. I cannot express how sensational it is to teach what I know to others and behold what they do with that knowledge. It may be simply that they created a thing of beauty and have the satisfaction of doing so. It might be the start of a mindful meditation practice. It could be the creative outlet they sought or a link to the delightful community of beadworkers. Or, perhaps all of these. In addition to the local classes, I teach workshops wherever I am invited. Next year this includes Japan and Australia.

Writing Mastering Beadwork enabled me to teach thousands of people I may never have the opportunity to bead with in person. (The beaders who DO bead with me in person are relieved of ever taking a note because "its all in the book".)

Michelle: Do you have a favorite project in the book?

Carol: A favorite? Just one? Hmm, in the spirit of giving an answer I'll say Bead Happy. It is so much fun to make this piece. It is NOT fun to assemble the kit composed of 50+ different beads. Each row is a new color and size so you "shop" for a new bead with each row. The two-headed closure is one the beader is likely to employ in other projects of their own design.
Carol's favorite project,
Bead Happy

Michelle: Will you admit to a favorite off-loom stitch?

Carol: No, but I can say why I love each one. Peyote I think of as the mother-stitch which is a firm foundation in beadwork. Brick stitch is freeing and liberating while providing firmness. Herringbone is zippity-do-dah two-beads-at-a-time. Netting is lacy, feminine and versatile. Bead crochet is portable and supple. Scallop stitch is liberating and full of swags. Polygon is magical. Right angle weave, in particular of all the angle weaves, is a bead architect's life-force.

Michelle: I also have a few questions from Beading Daily readers. Joyce asked, "I make small brick-stitch medallions. How do I stiffen them without adding a backing?

Carol: Use denser thread such as fireline crystal or power pro. If this doesn't make it stiff enough, dip it in acrylic medium such as Future Floor Treatment found in the household cleaner aisle of grocery store. Dip, let the excess drip back into the bottle, and dry.

Michelle: Here's another reader question. Joan wrote, "I would love to master bead crochet. Can you share tips or resources?"

Carol: The pesky part of learning is being able to see the stitch and that the beads slide all over the place while you're trying to accomplish the next maneuver. So, begin with large thread and beads that sit so firmly on the thread that they do not slide around. "Bead Crochet Out Loud" (in Mastering Beadwork) is such a project and is not only foolproof way to learn bead crochet but, makes a very cool piece of jewelry! It utilizes ribbon yarn such as Plymouth's, and size E beads. A crochet hook in G or H will be best.

Michelle: One more! Reader Mona Lisa asked how to read an off-loom graph or pattern like those used for amulet bags.

Carol: In general, for flat work you must read from say, left to right for one row and then right to left for the next row, back and forth. When working peyote look at the lower corners of the graph. One corner bead will be "high" and the other "low". Start reading from the high bead. It is number one. Pick up the next low and then high and then low and then high across the pattern. Recall that to begin, you are picking up two rows at once. By weaving the next row, they are offset into rows one and two and the new row is row 3, though it is the first one you are actually weaving. To weave back across the beads you started with, pick up a bead just like the one the chart tells you that is directly above the last bead picked up. Then look ahead in the chart working you way back across, at (every other bead) every high bead. When you reach the end, placing half the number of beads that you started with, turn the work and now bead your way back across the chart, starting with the one directly above the last one placed.

For those amulet pieces, roll the graph into a tube and clip it to visualize the (bottomless) bag. Then lay it flat. With a pencil, draw a diagonal line up across the chart. Number each bead, starting with one. Begin reading your chart with number one. Step up at the end of each round, and see that bead labeled 3 is the first bead in the next round, and then 4 and 5 and so on, moving over by one bead with each round. For peyote beadwork, remember that the beads are offset by a half step and you're reading every other bead in the round. The "Starry Night Card Case" in Mastering Beadwork is meant to address this topic.

Thank you, Carol! Learn more about Carol (including her upcoming teaching schedule) on her website: www.carolcypher.com.